ROYAL OAK – The operators of the hotels and motels in Royal Oak have had 14 months to comply with the amended occupancy limitation ordinance that goes into effect the end of this month.

But apparently they need even more time.

A handful of the operators from these establishments came Monday before the Royal Oak City Commission, requesting an extension that was eventually granted by commissioners after a lengthy discussion.

The owners now have 60 more days to make the necessary upgrades. If they are not in compliance by then, they “better have a darn good reason,” Mayor Jim Ellison said.

“It is going to be hard on some people, but if they keep playing on the sympathies they know we have, they will continue to get extensions,” he said. “We are here to protect the people of our community, and we have to do this.”

The amended ordinance, which was approved in November 2013, calls for the facilities that have customers staying longer than 30 days to meet residential group R-2 requirements of the Michigan Building Code. The facilities currently meet the residential group R-1 requirements.

Some of the major differences between the two include fire alarms, fire suppression equipment and electrical systems.

“Our intent is to keep everyone safe and properly protected for the environment they are living in,” Ellison said.

Former city commissioner Jim Rasor, who owns the Royal Oak Motor Inn on 11 Mile Road, said his group is not quite done with its renovations, but noted the people who “were not a right fit” are gone from the hotel.

“We have about 15 long-term residents left,” he said. “These people are low-income people who don’t have any other place to go.”

There was some concern at the time the ordinance was approved that it was targeting the less fortunate, but the commissioners reiterated that they were not doing this to force people on the street. Their goal was to make living conditions safer.

Commissioner Mike Fournier talked about giving the operators a six-month extension into the warmer months, but eventually agreed with the 60-day plan.

Mayor Pro Tem Dave Poulton was the lone no vote on the extension.

“I want to enforce this ordinance now,” he said. “In my book, 14 months has been a lot of time ... we have to keep some fire on these folks.”

The ordinance does not require an operator to have the whole facility in compliance, just the rooms that host long-term guests. If a facility does house guests longer than 30 days or for more than 60 days total in any consecutive 180-day period in non R-2 rooms, the owner can face a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and/or $500 fine.

The city commission will get an update from the building department on any progress made by the businesses at its March 16 meeting and the ordinance will go into effect April 1.